Impoundment
by Kihatsusei
Summary: Everyone had their own agenda. Is three really a crowd? LxMisa LightxMisa possibility
1. Impoundment

"Nwoh!" Ryuuzaki yelped through a mouth full of delicious ladyfingers.

"Yes!" Misa Amane screamed back in anguish. She seemed to be unaware that the heavy lids of the Great Detective were staring back at her with humor and not empathy.

Light observed idly from his spot in the bend of the tan arm chair, not 2 feet away from Ryuuzaki and his platter of goodies, ranging from ladyfingers to a violet sorbet placed at the very top of the platter. How had he managed to get himself into this arrangement.

He was genuine turmoil as he watched Ryuuzaki interact with what was assumed to be his partner. He thought he might not be able to handle much more of their babbling, what with Kira on the loose why not sit down for a cup of tea, eh? He persisted in wondering why Ryuuzaki insisted that these impenetrable events must happen. He thought the most he got out of these get togethers was time to think on the case. Sans a working station of course.

"I told him 'Mr. Toshida I will not and cannot be apart of this scene! You see I have a boyfriend and he wouldn't like this one bit! He's a jealous man….'"

Light watched L nod slowly and stare intently into the eyes of the overzealous young woman, as if searching for some slip up in which she would accidentily mention something that might insinuate that Light was in fact Kira. At least that's the behavior that Light had observed in past situations. As for now, he felt as if he was witnessing a deeper fascination in the eyes of Ryuuzaki.

"Light? Jealous? Why, I never have seen that side of him."

"Well anyways!—"

Misa proceeded to blurt out a series of other idiom that involved Light's alleged adoration for the girl, as what she seemed to believe to be an adamant defense in her choice not to lock lips with her co-star.

She sighed and glanced at Light in a manner which he gathered she believed to be stealthy; as if looking for approval or confirmation.

"Well, it is clear that your dedication and devotion to your…dearest Light-kun has proved to be quite the obstacle" Ryuuzaki said as a matter of fact; he tasted his finger curtly and swept loose crumbs from his chin.

Light took interest in the statement and shifted his crossed legs to the right to face the two others. Ryuuzaki was persisting into common territory, but with what seemed to be simple curiosity. Very unlike the foggy eyed Detective.

Misa jumped up from her frog like positioning beside Ryuuzaki and stood on the couch, wobbly. She pierced the air with her gloved hand and hollered: "No way Ryuuzaki, Misa-Misa will book another job for sure!"

"Misa" Light suggested.

She looked at him wide eyed and anxious. As for Ryuuzaki he turned his body, which was previously facing Misa, and situated in a position in which he could observe Light. He didn't seem to have remembered that Kira was still in the room.

Light soaked in the attention. He paused. "Well Misa"

She plopped down on the couch.

"I don't have much of a problem with the situation. I mean do you have feelings for this guy, your co-star?" he said with a demanding tone. He didn't feel in the least bit guilty that he was providing false hope for her, as if he were actually bothered by the 'threat' of another man.

"No way! Misa-Misa has only feelings for Light-kun!" she cried desperately.

"Okay I thought that much to be true. So what's the problem?" He re-crossed his legs nonchalantly and blinked at her.

Her mouth hung agape and before she could begin professing her love for him again Ryuuzaki interjected.

"Well Light-kun I think what Misa means is that of course she isn't in the least bit longing to be involved with this man but there is no way she would want to create any kind of physical relationship with anyone other than you on or off camera, am I right Misa?" He cocked his head at her.

She still held her mouth open. "Yes, yes that's right Ryuuzaki". She squinted her eyes and stared for once not at Light, but at the darkened eyes of her boyfriends' clever keychain, Ryuuzaki.

Light admitted to himself. He was taken aback. For a moment he contemplated the thought of Ryuuzaki knowing anything about a woman. He quickly shook the unfathomable thought that Ryuuzaki had ever been involved with the opposite gender and recovered, as always, quickly from his momentary dumbfoundedness.

The two were weirdly interlocked in some sort of trance. As usual Ryuuzakis' ability to be void of any emotion but hunger, was still intact, but Misa gazed dumbly at him, nodding slightly and cocking her head. "Misa-kun? Do I have sorbet on my face?"

Misa snapped as if having been violently shook. She looked over at Light, too careless to try and hide her interest in his emotion. His expression was indifferent. He recrossed his legs again. "Well in that case….don't do it".

Ryuuzaki and Misa both stared shocked. Light stood, and unintentionally yanked Ryuuzaki to his feet. "It's been a good hour now. We should really get back to work Ryuuzaki". Ryuuzaki greedily snatched a chocolate covered strawberry off the platter.  
"I believe you are right Yagami-kun" he gathered what snacks he could carry with him. No doubt he would devour them before 2 minutes time. Misa stood hazily and looked about the room as if lost, her brow furrowed. Before she knew Light was before her, Ryuuzaki observing from a short distance.

"Misa"

She gazed up at him. Brow still furrowed. "Yes Light" she answered.

He grabbed one of her hands and leaned down to her ear. "Just….stay out of trouble, okay?"

Her pink cheeks burned red at this. He squeezed her hand. As an act of affection or was it a warning? He let go and looked at Ryuuzaki. Light walked out of the door dominantly and Ryuuzaki glanced back at her briefly then walked away as well. Her head dropped even further and a tuft of hair fell before her face. She bit her lip and pressed her palms to her eyes as if to try and reverse the tears that were imminent, she huffed loudly. She went to wash the make-up off her hands. Then headed to sleep.

Outside Ryuuzaki trailed lazily behind Light, who was taking long meaningful strides; the likes of which Ryuuzaki was used to.

"Bit harsh don't you think?" he suggested in a way that Light knew was more than small talk.

"What do you care? Don't you ever just mind your own business Ryuuzaki?"  
But what business did a man such as L have? He thought.

"I'm just saying" he stuffed the strawberry in his mouth. "She's very faithful, you need people like her when you take over, am I wrong?"

Light ignored this comment and when they reached their destination, they entered. With  
haste.

Later the same night Ryuuzaki sat restless on the floor of the room where he and Light slept. He stood up slowly and looked at Light, asleep, on arm off of the bed, the other bent back behind his head as if he were being arrested. Ryuuzaki had imagined that day. When Light Yagami's acts of murder would be uncovered and he would be tried as a murderer, uncovered, exposed. But as the days went by it seemed only to be more clear that Light was in fact NOT Kira, but exactly what he appeared to be, an intelligent young man, with a hunger for justice.

Ryuuzaki sat lightly at the edge of the bed just inches from Lights chest. With his toe pointed like a dancer he pushed aside his glowing laptop, the only source of light in the room, until it was under the bed. Now he could hardly see the outline of his co-worker in the overwhelmingly dark room.

His wrist was raw from the constant wringing of the cold metal and he and Light's shirts weighed down the chain linking them making the metal scrape his thin wrists even more. He rubbed his damp palms on his damp chest and sighed as the affects of insomnia darted about his mind in the form of worry and sympathy. He couldn't help but think of Misa. How her constant allegiance to Light was disregarded and perceived as idiocy or infatuation. Two things that most likely factored into the equation of her adoration but nevertheless, he was bothered by it.

He imagined her bare shoulders trembling and collapsing and her small body curled up tight on top of her covers. Denying herself the warmth and comfort of a blanket. Denying to be comforted by anything other than Light, who wouldn't so much as hug her goodbye? Yes Ryuuzaki could see this clearly; the tears on the blondes face and the anguish in her heart. How you love someone who doesn't love you back, he was at a loss. But playing with a word like love was hardly fair game for Ryuuzaki. He had never toyed with such fickle emotions. They seemed to him to always turn into something other than actual love, but betrayal, hurt, or a series of other painful avoidable emotions that he did not in the least favor.

He glanced again at Light. Then at the digital alarm clock, that's faint glow read: 3:55am.  
Light shifted so that he was no longer facing Ryuuzakis back.

Before thinking it through, Ryuuzaki fell to the floor and retrieved his laptop. He pressed eject on the mechanism and a circular disk tray slid out making only the slightest scraping noise. Lying on that tray was a key. It shone brightly under that luminous screen. He seized it and slowly but quietly unlocked the cuff on his wrist. He hadn't done this once since he first linked himself a Light, and he wasn't thinking right but he placed the key back in its hiding place, removed his shirt from the chain, and linked his cuff to the bed post.

After applying his shirt to his body, he made his way to the door. He looked back anxiously once he had arrived to its rectangular mass. He was aware that opening the hotel door involved a lot of noise. He was careful and he opened the door slid out and was confident that he had not woken the other man.  
He felt nervous. Not that he thought Light would awaken and somehow escape, that was highly improbable. But nervous of him waking and seeing the Ryuuzaki….L had severed the commitment of his job, to go scampering about the hallways. But Ryuuzaki was hardly going for a simple walk. He had an agenda, a destination.

He felt his limbs move on their own. His feet pelting the ground purposefully, unlike his usual slumping that involved dragging his feet as if he were forcing them to tag along with the rest of his body.

Room 876, room 875….874…870….867….. Elevators.

He mad his way down to floor 16. Misa's floor. He took two steps until he was out of the elevator and standing on a floral carpet bordered in gold. One of his bare feet rubbed the other. His heart beat in his throat and he thought of turning back. He turned and glanced at the numbers above the now closing elevator door and imagined seeing them glow in sequence, carrying a cuffless, confused Light. He persisted despite his irregular heart beats and journeyed down the hall to Misa Amane's room.

He walked slowly as to make as little sound as possible as he sauntered nervously down the hall. He stopped. He felt ridiculous. What was he planning to do? Why was he even down here? Had he lost all common sense, self control, and nonchalance? The very three traits that he was made up of. No. He was tired. But that was no excuse. How could he be tired? How could he be confused? Had he been standing too long? Had his deductive reasoning plummeted so much that he was embarking on a fruitless journey such as this? He felt idiocy overwhelm him. His feeling had the best of him….or the most of him at least.

He stood up straight, only to slouch again and began to turn in the other direction.

Before his foot came in contact with the ground he heard: "Ryuuzaki?"

He blinked, hard and turned to see Misa Amane standing in the hallways center in a sheer black robe, open, with a pair of cotton black panties on, topless. The robe fell over her breasts so he could only see the gap between them, but god was the robe thin. Nothing was left to Ryuuzaki's imagination, but after looking her over in a way he hoped passed off as surprise and not perversion, he turned to her casually.

"Well hello Misa—" before he could finish he saw her eyes flash with realization.

"Where's Light!?" she bellowed in shock and confusion. She looked only at his wrist that was missing the charming metal bracelet she had become so accustom to seeing.

He mistook her confusion for anger.

"Misa as you would probably know, Light isn't the most pleasant sleeper. Every night I unhinge myself and take a walk. But I beg you, do not share this with him." He said as nonchalant as ever.

Her eyes twitched with disbelief and she came closer steadily. His eyes remained fixed on her own, more intently than usual. He felt uncomfortable that she had not covered up and was nervous as she advanced, her robe blowing carelessly about. She stopped until they were about 3 feet apart.

She said nothing, forcing more words from his mouth. "What, dare I say, are you doing up at this hour—"

"I wouldn't know" she whispered.

"Wha—"

"I wouldn't know how he sleeps Ryuuzaki. He never spends the night with me. Even before the….handcuffs, you should know that".

There was a short pause.

"Well that's a shame"

She looked up, her face pinched, and for the first time he noticed she had no make-up on. He realized also, that she had no use for it.

She advanced upon him, close. He froze. They were not 3 inches apart when she threw her arms around him. He gasped and his eyes widened in surprise and extreme discomfort. She gripped him with the strength of a giant.

"Oh Ryuuzaki I know you don't understand what it's like to be loved, but I want so bad for him to love me it hurts!" she professed.

He felt her breast tightly pressed against his chest and he feared she would feel his heart beat. She did, but mistook it for her own. She hugged almost tight enough to even the curve in his back, and was surprised to find that for a guy who wore no shoes, he was very warm. He placed his hand on the back of her head and the other on the small of her back. He felt like a child with a gun. Clueless, and dangerous. He looked over her head and saw his hand gripping a handful of her hair. She let go slowly and he saw that tears were strewn across her face and dripping off her chin and the tip of her delicate nose. She wiped them messily.

"I'm so sorry" she cried softly. She looked angrily down at her feet and folded her robe over her bare chest. "I'm so sorry" and with that she stepped back and retreated, weeping, into her room.

He stood there in the hall alone with the echoing of her slamming door. He suddenly felt weak, like the lat 15 years of 20 minutes of sleep and constant consumption of sweets was kicking in. He nodded, and turned to go to the elevator.

Once he reached the room he entered to find Light the exact same way he had left him. Still cuffed to the bedpost. He guided himself through the dark towards the light of his laptop and returned the handcuff to his wrist. Blankly he lied down in the bed beside Light and let sleep take him.

Light woke to find L deeply asleep. He thought back and concluded that he'd never seen Ryuuzaki sleep. But he was too groggy to appreciate the total atrocity of the situation and reached for his shirt hanging from the chain. He seized it and stopped before slipping it on. Where was Ryuuzaki's shirt?

He glanced around the room and saw the long sleeved white shirt on the floor. Beside the bed.

Light glanced back at the sleeping figure of L, master mind detective. What the hell was going on?


	2. Release

[2 days later]  
L stared dumbly before him at the dark empty wells of the Yotsuba meeting room. He wasn't quite sure how late it was but it was not the time of week that invovled a meeting between the terrible men of Yotsuba. These were the days where he felt the most hopeless, regardless of any sort of lead. These were the days when his mind was least occupied, which for the average man would still be very occupied but if on a busy day L's mind was on overload then today his mind was full. Except something wasn't quite the norm today. His mind wandered doggedly of topic into an area that he cursed himself for visiting. Miss Amane consumed his thoughts.

How her robe waved dangerously through the air. How the dim hallway lights of the hotel highlighted her curves. Her lips, and how they parted only slightly as she spoke to him, soft he suspected and rosy and slightly swollen from what he guessed to be a nervous habit of her constantly biting them. He remembered indulgently the exact sight of the light sheen of sweat overlaying her smooth porcelain skin, creating the elusion that she was glowing. Her tears....

He found himself glaring at westwardly at Light, who was working calmly at the computer, most likely analyzing the premeditated deaths caused by Yotsuba with the help of Kira, if infact they were not the same thing. Light looked up with a strange feeling he was being watched, not that he wasn't used to it now but he found Ryuuzaki watching him. Not in his usual analytical way but glaring, suspicious? No. No absolutely not. He looked....angry. But this lasted for only 2 seconds time before L realized and he quickly reverted back to his default face, almost so quick that Light forgot the prior look.

"Ryuuzaki...." Light said almost literally snapping L to attention. "These victims, every one of them is or could be a logical corporal threat to Yotsuba, and nearly 2/3 of them are killed by heartattacks."

L looked away, then down at his hand, which were holding a triangular sugar cookie. "I see then."

He lifted the cookie to his lips. He sat it down without tasting it and returned his glance to the dark screen. Light watched with an overwhelming complexity.

Ryuuzaki usually realized when Light, or anyone for that matter, was watching him, but now he was oblivious. He had been turned into a hormonal, sick being. At least thats how he felt; like a teenage boy. He didn't want to eat. But he did want to lay down. He wanted to black out. He lifted his right thumb and pressed it between his lips.

To Matsuda or his father Ryuuzaki may look perfectly normal with the behavior he was presenting right now. But Light knew better than that. You don't get chained to a guy and not know when somethings off. But what was this tweak in behavior? It was a very different Ryuuzaki. Had he given up on this case? He looked completely hopeless to Light. Light turned to his laptop and began to type as the prospect of Ryuuzaki becoming hopeless and depressed again swirled at the edge of his thoughts. Then he stopped. Had this had anything to do with the fact that Ryuuzaki's shirt was off of the chain when he awoke? Or with the fact the Ryuuzaki was sleeping at all, or rather the fact that Light had actually witnessed the mans slumber? He sat back in his chair, frowning. He plucked a loose string from the collar of his button-up, and formulated a plan.

"Oh it's no use!" Misa proclaimed to her empty room. She ran from where she stood in front of her door to her bed and collapsed into the mass of it, defeated. She had thought several times of the instance that occured only nights before and had been trying to leave the room where she was confined, to go to see Light at work. She longed to see him despite their last visit and everytime she stood to do so she cowered and fled. She lifted her face from the blanket covvering her bed and huffed a breath of air. It was no use. She couldn't face Ryuuzaki.

Misa seldom allowed cowardice to overcome her peppy, positive outlook on just about everything; but the look on his face stuck with her. He had watched her cry and had seen her partially naked and she had made a complete fool of herself she decided. I mean what was she thinking, running into his arms like that?? She must've been insane to do that. Ryuuzaki had no emotion, and knew not of love, he probably hadn't ever even touched a woman, yet she went to him for comfort, or had he come to her?

Beside dwelling on her complete and utter disregard for Ryuuzaki's lack of compassion, she had also wondered in the past two days why exactly Ryuuzaki was on her floor. Yes, he had explained that he was on a routine walk of the likes that he took every night; but Misa couldn't help but wonder, why her floor? She couldn't shake the feeling that it was NOT a coincidence and he had planned it. But then she felt stupid. Ryuuzaki doesn't care about her. He thinks she's an infintile, obsessive, provocative killer. She huffed once more.

Nevertheless, she had gone out each night, wondering about the halls. Looking for him? Was she looking for him with the hopes of explaining her actions? Justifying them? Apologizing? No, she just needed to move around, so she told herself. She never really bothered herself with thinking of him and his confusing ways of doing things, like that childish way he sits, and the way he eats nothing but sweets. The way he nibbles on his fingers and holds things between his thumbs and index fingers. He was a freak! He was her exact opposite. And she couldn't keep her mind off of him.

She sat up as her neck grew tired and scooted back to lean on her headboard. She was thinking of him only. But was he thinking of her? She wondered, this time with little guilt and ever bit of anxiety possible. Was he laughing about how dumb she was to pursue Light? About how stupidly she had fallen into him and pressed herself into his body in search of foolish consolation? About how she had presented herself so premiscuously before him. Surely his stomach was in knots with hilarity. He must have found her even more pathetic now then before. Again she cursed herself, like she had been doing for what seemed like an eternity.

She peered out of her open window. She saw buildings and gloom. It was late and the lights were coming on. She made a move for the bathroom.

Light walked alongside ,or rather behind, Ryuuzaki down the hall to the room they shared. They had walked the whole way in silence, save the jingling of the chain that connected them. Usually Light led the other man but on this particular night Ryuuzaki walked with slightly more purpose than normal. Typically Light would poke harmless fun at the man's unsuspecting vigor, but he had noticed several changes in Ryuuzaki's behavior from the days start to now and was sure that if Ryuuzaki was as careless as to convey such emotions openly then there was something up, and it wasn't anything to laugh about.

They reached the room and both entered quietly. Ryuuzaki drug Light unconciously toward the bed they shared and gently sat at the edge, lifting his feet up to meet his nose.

'Today was a late night" Light said breaking the heavy air. He stood before the older man not looking at him, but watching him.

"Yes"

"I mean considering the fact that we didn't have much to do" he smiled wearily. He was tired, but her knew better than to sleep.

"Well. I'm gunna get some sleep. What about you?" he said casually without the least bit of casual intent.

"I'm wide awake" Ryuuzaki whispered lightly.

Light nodded and walked over the the furthest edge of the bed he could reach and began undressing until he stood in his briefs. He threw back the covers of his bed and immersed himself into the cool sheets. Sheets he wouldn't be sleeping on tonight. Ryuuzaki proceeded to slide onto the floor as not to wake Light as he shifted. He pulled out his laptop from it's home under the bed and opened it up. He watched it turn on and his eyes followed the loading bar as it awakened and prepared to be of use.

He glanced up at Light and watched him intently. He watched his chest fall up, then down, since he was facing him. His eyes were closed but there was no way he had fallen asleep that quickly. It was a late night he thought. He looked back at the screen and saw that he had sucessfully logged in. He didn't think there to be any reason Light would fake being sleep, but he'd rather not take the chance of doing what he was contimplating until he was sure.

Until he heard a gentle snort come from above. He looked at Light. Did he fake it? No, this would have been all too allaborate. He had no reason to do that. He decided to test it.

"Light. Could you come and look at something" he said perfectly loud.

The brown haired boy resumed his breathing. He was asleep, Ryuuzaki decided.

He slid his finger nervously to the edge of the laptops base. He pressed that button to the disc tray opening his hiding place for the key while simultaneously revealing it to Light, who concealed a smile and rolled his eyes behind his slightly parted eyelids. 'How careless' he thought.

Ryuuzaki seized the key. He held the key before him and it shined in the light from his laptop. He didn't give it much thought this time around. He slowly rose to his feet and gently unlocked the cuff buckled around his wrist. He then went on to attatch it to the bed post. He placed the key back in the tray and closed it for the second time that week.

He rubbed his wrist, which displayed 2 or 3 cuts from the cuff. He didn't dwell to long on the injuries before making his way to the door, where he slid out in a way that wouldn't have awoken a sleeping Light but did assure an awake Light that his plan was to be put into action soon.

He traveled the hall with less purpose and possesion as before. He felt like he was clearer in the head, but that also seemed ridiculous because the fact that he had done this stupid thing again was proof enought that he had lost it completely. He hadn't wandered around halls like this even when he was a boy and he couldn't help feeling silly and young. But there was something comforting about that feeling.

He came to a halt in front of the elevator and pressed his thumb to the down arrow. In less that 10 seconds the elevator arrived. He stepped inside and thanked god that he hadn't taken the stairs, which would have given him too much time to think of what he was risking.

He reached the floor and the elevator opened, presenting him his destination. He took a step out and made for the hall, only paces away.

Misa stood in her room facing her door with her hands on the cold metal knob and thought whether she was being driven insane. Surely if she was going crazy she would know. He heart punched her chest vigouously, as if when she opened the door he'd be standing right there. Well....thats what had happened before. but she hadn't been anticipating it then. She turned the handle half way. She realized then that she had no doubt about it anymore. She left her room night to night searching for Ryuuzaki. She pushed the door open and nearly fell into an empty hall way. No Ryuuzaki. Had he been here she would have ran into him. It was late, and if he had been there at all it would have been that very second. She had on the same robe, but this time wore a cotton black shirt and a pair of white shorts under it. She closed her door wholely and walked on despite her dissapointment.

As she ventured the halls quietly reflecting to herself, her embarassment faded. She was weary of thinking on Ryuuzaki. And she missed Light with every fiber of her being. But it would still nag her she thought. Everytime she saw him he would revert back to her ugly weeping face and her bare body entangling his body into hers selfishly. She was almost in disgust of herself, for acting that way and for feeling this way about it.

She arrived at an open arch way that lead into a sitting room/cafe'/computer lounge that she often went to during the day to occupy herself. She walked inside only to be shocked so suddenly it must've shook her heart. She controlled herself as she adjusted to the view of spikes of black hair growing from the rear of a red armchair. His back was to her, but there was no doubting it, Ryuuzaki was there as well. He was sitting in his usual position from what she could see. She stood quite still and had managed not to gasp at the sight of him. He sipped a cup of coffee, but other than that he just sat there.

She realized she wasn't breathing and exhaled softly. Was he waiting for her? Her heart lept weirdly. Waiting for her like she'd been waiting for him? Then she stopped. Did Ryuuzaki have a...

But before her thought became whole the man said aloud "Are you going to watch me all night Misa Amane?"

She gasped softly. She had found yet another way to embarass herself. She walked forward with the feeling as if she were turning herself in and presented herself to him. She stood before him jaw clenched and heart racing. He wasn't talking. 'Say something!'

"Hello"

Her eyes widened then she nodded. "Hi Ryuuzaki". She was determined to look in control, and calm. They watched eachother.

"Sit, please" he said nodding his head at a chair across from him. She looked and then went to pull the chair from it's positioning to the front of Ryuuzaki's chair, then sat. They were now only about a foot apart. He shifted.

"What are you doing awake, might I ask" he said reaching down for his coffee.

She smiled big. "Couldn't sleep".

He looked up and then down at his coffee. This was different. Why was she so happy? had he been hoping for the helpless women he had encountered the other night? Had he been subconciously hoping for her to be a wreck only so she would collapse into him again? He was at a loss. "Yes well....thats not healthy at all is it?"

She paused. "yeah that explains why you are down here right?" she retorted.

"I have nothing to uphold" he said simply.

"What do you mean?" she pressed losing her smile.

"Lack of sleep has an awful affect on it's victim. I have suffered said affects but I am but a lowly detective whereas you are an actress. It is your proffession to stay beautiful." He sipped.

"Thank you" she replied.

"Hmm?"

"You said i'm beautiful" she was smiling again.

He looked at her eyes. "Well yes I suppose I did."

She lifted her feet to her chair and let her now bent legs part open so that each one was leaning on an arm of her chair, never taking her eyes off of him.

"Ryuuzaki"

"Yes"

"About the other night..."

"There's no need to apologize..."

"No! I wasn't going to." She said while leaning up to place her hand on his, which was rested on his chairs arm. "I wanted to thank you. For being there. I don't know why you were, but you were and i'm happy you were. I felt safe in your arms..." she professed. She sighed. A weight dropped off her heart, yet she was still anxious and unsatisfied. He was silent. She removed her hand and pushed back her chair. He watched, lips parted in anxiety.

She stood and adjusted her clothes, hair. He noticed then that she was wearing make-up tonight. She'd prepared. Before he knew he was standing as well. He stood a few inches taller than her but she demanded him when she walked forward and grabbed his wrists. She took his hand and placed them on her back, pushing them upward so they were slightly under her top. She shuddered at the touch; his hands were surprisingly cold after having held hot coffee. He searched her eyes for some hint as to what she was thinking. But he had no edge.

She pressed herself onto him and felt his thin frame against hers. Then she got onto her toes and hooked her chin over his shoulder and wrapping her hands around his neck, capturing him in a passionate hug. Her lips were cold on his neck and his body shuddered at their touch. She held him close to her and kissed his lobe lightly. One of her hands slid down his chest and grabbed a handfull of his shirt while shaking her head as if to make what she was about to do better. He leaned his head til it was buried in her mane of hair. She smelled of lavender. She pushed him back only a bit until they wee again staring eachother in the face.

She was afraid as she came closer. Her lips nearing his, their breath on eachother, loud and heavy. Then he did something. His hands rised from her body slowly and and grabbed her hands and detatched them from his body. Her face twisted into a look of horror. She stepped back and cursed herself.

"Misa..."

A muffled 'i'm sorry' hardly escaped her mouth and she made a B line for the arch.

He lost all self control and ran right after her. She was 5 feet from the arch when he caught up, grabbed her wrist and violently whipped her around to face him. He placed one hand on her waist and pulled her close. The other was on the side of her face. He leaned downward til' their noses were rubbing. He pushed his hand back into her hair and pulled her head back so her lips were aligned with his own. She breathed heavily onto him and after a second of doubt he pressed his lips to hers in a passionate bruising kiss. It was a messy, unskilled kiss but her heart tore in lust for him. He claimed her with such pride that she couldn't, no wouldn't, dare stop him now. They broke away to breath and a small moan escaped her lips. They stared at eachother longingly. Misa tried to remember when Light had last kissed her like this, or at all. She shook her head and ruled him out. "Ryuuzaki.." she begged. He was loosening his grip on her and stroking her hair lovingly. She them pushed her hands and face into his chest and said slowly but with confidence: "I love Light."

He instantly let go of her and she stepped back as if astonished by her own words. "I'm so sorry." she pleed. But he had recovered quickly enough so that all she saw was a blank stare in return to her pitiful gaze. She crumbled and left the room so quick that in a matter of seconds her cry was fading off into the depths off the hallway.

He spilled into a nearby chair, legs sprawled carelessly about.

Outside, only paces down the hall was Light leaning on the wall. "Oh Ryuuzaki, how clever do you think you really are?"


	3. Also Like Your Concious

(READING TIP): Things in ----- are not present tense.

'Condensation licked the edges of the window panes. On his skin he felt a slight whisper from the outside air on his flushed cheeks. He could feel goosebumps forming on his forearms as he lifted his hand to the glass; a whimsical gesture, one that before he had found quite without purpose or meaning, but it now soothed him. His hand slid down the glass leaving behind evidence of his obtuse whimsy and he sighed heavily; not a child's sigh either. Mid-winter in the Kingdom was white and wet, like the light sheen of sweat over his pale skin. He was shaken and lost, and despite the blistering cold that bit at him through thin glass, his blood boiled. How did he feel this way? He was always so certain and now all certainty was buried and he couldn't do more than count the days....in further isolation. Impoundment.'

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The room was quite. Desolate. Beside the continuous clicking of the keyboards keys between the two men there was no sound. Mogi was with Misa at the set of her upcoming movie, Soichiro was tending to his wife and Matsuda was most likely prowling around the Yagami home to catch a glimpse of their ever growing girl, Sayu.

The chain between the two swayed noiselessly; the silence screaming. Light sat back into his chair and sighed heavily. L disregarded him, but was alert; he continued his work; he clicked away typing with only his two index fingers. 5 minutes passed and Light sat up and turned his chair to his colleague. L halted his work.

"Yes, Light-kun?" he said, almost humming.

"Well....Ryuuzaki..." he said with faux doubt.

"Yes?"

"Well I've been wanting to ask you something, but...I've sort of been putting it off. It can't really wait any longer now."

'Oh dear'. "Yes, anything Light"

Light shifted uncomfortably and leaned forward a bit. "Well..."

He cleared his throat. "It's about Misa..."

The name 'Misa' caused his hiccuping heart to sucker punch his chest. He stared nonchalantly.

"But of course"

Light laughed to himself. 'What a fool!' he thought. 'He's playing dumb pretty well though. This may be more fun than I thought'...

He leaned forward more. "It's these...dates. I know we're connected by the wrist and all, but...well I..I was thinking about doing something like conjugal visits."

The swaying of the chain slowed to a stop.

L stared at the gleaming computer screen blankly. Light watched him, soaking in his hidden disgust.

"I don't see why not."

Light suffocated a laugh and morphed his face into a portrait of perversion and embarrassment.

He laughed half-heartedly and nodded to himself. "Well, thanks I guess."

"Of course" He said in almost a whisper trying not to betray himself. His face felt hot and his carpals felt numb when he tried to resume typing.

Light wasn't looking at him. "She'll be thrilled" he said enthused.

He looked over at the guilty man, suppressing a smile, a grin anything to give hime away and uttered stupidly: "Is everything okay? If you don't feel comfortable letting me-"

"Don't be foolish. We'll just keep this between the three of us, then?"

Light nodded. This wouldn't be the first secret. The only difference? There was an invisible third party.

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'She swung her feet idly, every other time kicking up a clump of hard snow and watching it as it flew through the air. He watched her from inside everyday for a week so far. He didn't know her name. At this time of day all the other kids would go outside, play, socialize, and laugh, be children. But L was no ordinary child. He was told that one day he would be great, that the others were jealous, inferior, and threatened. But he didn't feel that way now. If his intelligence could be evenly distributed among all aspects required to uphold a relationship with someone other than himself, right now, he would except that prospect. If he could talk to her. But whatever would he say? Would they have anything in common? She was new. Her parents were killed in a plane crash and her eyes were distraught and swollen from liquid grief but, no matter, I'll save you? He was, again, at a loss for the second time that day. He collapsed onto the cold wooden floor and began to work on a series of tiny silver rings, all tangled up and confused, which he could usually solve but today struggled with. He stretched his neck and tried to catch yet another glimpse of his hope. She was gone. Had he imagined her? No, surely not. There was a knock. He stood. Another. Then the door clicked open. His hope. He was...at a loss. She stood there uninvited and vulnerable. Her dark hair was in a small fuss due to wind and her lips were pursed together, smooth and pink; her almond shaped eyes glittering, fresh tears per-chance, dark and inquisitive. She took a nervous step forward. "L? I'm Hope."'

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For once Misa was calm as her director, Aru Sishime, overlooked the previous scene for the millionth time. Production was supposed to be over, but she was not at all ready to return to her captivity, especially when she had been having illicit meetings with her detainer for over a week.

She was shivering slightly in the 72 degree weather and trying to ignore her persistent co-star, who would stop at nothing to get her into his car, or at least feel her up more than necessary during the intimate scenes of the production. She had a date today. With Light and Ryuuzaki. She sighed aloud and curled her head inward onto her lap, grumbling nothings and cursing.  
Such behavior was not alien so no one payed much attention. She screamed.

She finally reached the hotel room where she spent her nights alone, only this time she approached her room, hearts racing, with the image of Light sitting unknowingly beside Ryuuzaki. She knew they'd be there waiting. Oh, she wanted it to go away. Ryuuzaki to disappear.  
That's what she thought she wanted.

She found her door. Sighed, and opened it up. The light was off.  
What was going on? She hesitated and closed the door behind her, not turning on the light just yet. She walked to the side of her bed feeling with her hands the edge; and as she felt along the bedside on her way to the nightstand lamp, her hand landed on something warm, a leg.  
Her heart sped up and she flung her hand away and all at the same time the bedside light flicked on and she heard the man she loves say: "Misa, calm down, it's me."

Light had stood up and was now making for the blonde vixen. He took gentle hold of her hands.

Her mind was on fire. "Light? Ryuuzaki let you..."

"Misa, be quiet."

She frowned but obeyed.

He leaned over and kissed her forehead lightly. The spot burned her face as it flushed passionately. Where was...this..coming from??  
Before she recovered from pure lustful confusion his arms were claiming her waist in a protecting embrace. Her face was on his chest and she listened, soothed, by the pitter patter of his heart. His intentions completely masked. She felt the pace speed up.

"Misa...."

She felt a weird fear overcome her. Everything now was so new, she didn't know WHAT he would say but she uttered a weak: "Yes?"

"Despite how I've been to you. I really, really, love you." he sighed like it had been locked inside him so long.

She let out a small moan that sounded quite like a pathetic attempt at speaking.

"And I want to show you. Right here, and now just how much." he said softly. "Would you let me do that?"

She thought she might faint. She went limp in his arms. He couldn't see her face, but most importantly, she couldn't see his. Which was distorted into a leering mess of lasciviousness. He wondered how his audience was enjoying this scene.

He pulled her away and dug holes into her with a penetrating stare. Waiting.

She smiled and opened her mouth to respond and L pressed a blue button on the monitor and the image of the two snapped out of his sight. He couldn't see them, but if Light could somehow see him, he would see a red flag. High and soaked in defeat.

'He watched her. As if waiting for something dramatic and genuine to happen; like his silence was justified between the two of them; like she knew how he felt and knew that this reaction was imminent. She closed the door as soon as she decided he wasn't going to invite her in. She walked to him slowly with uncertainty but he could see in her eyes that she was a fierce being. She didn't fear him like he did her, and also, her expectations were not yet clear. She stopped about 2 feet from him. "You are L?"

"That is my name, yes" he stated calmly.

"Yes?" a bit of happiness lurched inside her chest. "It's nice to meet you L. I'm new." she uttered suddenly nervous. What were these standards that had unexpectedly penetrated her mind? Her mouth was slightly open and the flakes of snow on her hair were melting.

"Are you always alone...L?" she said, saying the name L like an infant saying, or rather gurgling their first words, unsure and brand new.

"If by alone you mean without the company of my peers, yes. If you per-chance mean alone as in a feeling of desolation, loss, and infinite sorrow. Yes, I am always alone."

She shivered. This boy? He was something like her. She felt as if he was verbalizing the text that engraved her heart; her purpose. To be alone.

"Would you terribly mind if I joined you here, L?" she asked kindly, her stomach making knots.

He nudged the silver rings on the floor so they jingled loudly echoing around the room.

"Not at all." he answered dreamily, staring off now into the sky from the icy window. She half-smiled concealing her real excitement. Even if he didn't completely want her there, she thought, he had not turned her away. That meant too much to describe.

With his back to her he felt the glow of her existence warm him. He glanced at the spot on the window where he had previously left his hand print, signing the check to utter and complete emotional quarantine. Only small circlets of the print remained. For a fleeting moment, that feeling of loneliness was put to rest. Now, unlike before. He had Hope.'

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The wind blew harder than any day he could remember. But then again he didn't often leave his working space. He'd been perched on the roof for about and hour and a half and his face was numb and at this point the wind on his face felt smaller than a whisper of cold air. His shirt whipped uncontrolled around his frail torso, occasionally revealing his cold chest. He was alone. And he didn't mind had been setting himself up for emotional destruction, and was disappointed in himself for falling for the tricky temptation of sentiment. He had analyzed it. But failed to make it go away.

"Fix this" he mumbled.

"Fix what?"

He turned and saw the small girl, in a thin robe, that lacked modesty. The white cloth joined the wind willingly in it's frenzy and the belt to the this robe swung slackly on her waist, begging to be set free, to pull the curtain on the glory of her porcelain body. Oh yes, it begged; and so did he. He stared at her as she tugged at her robe denying it's freedom; sizing her up.

He forced himself to look at the sky. "You'll be sick. Go inside."

"I'll do what I want. And I want to be here. And I think you want me here Ryuuzaki" she hollered just loud enough for him to hear over the wind. They stood several yards apart still.

"Your wrong, sorry. Where's Light? You are both still under surveillence you know."

She advanced toward him, for he spoke softly next to her yelling.

"Ryuuzaki...why'd you let him go?" she said slower. She sounded so adult, it forced him to look at her terribly intense gaze.

"Because he asked it of me." he breathed. "Who am I to deny him that small favor?"

She shook her head nonsensically. "Do you know what he planned-"

"Yes, I did." he stated plainly. "So. Did you enjoy my little gift?

A quick look of disgust swept her beautiful face then she bounded forward and smacked him hard across the face.

He accepted her striking him. And recovered modestly, only slightly rubbing his cheek.

"Your a pervert."

He stared.

She turned left, then right then paced in a full circle with her hand on her forehead. "Why'd I come here...?" she wondered aloud, sounding more troubled than he'd ever heard her.

"To reflect." he suggested.

She looked at him, weary eyed. "You can't be as clueless as your making yourself look." her hand now propped on her waist. "The last time I saw you-"

"You were quite blunt." he stated in a offsetting fanciful voice.

She laughed in spite of herself. "You really don't get women."

He frowned. "No. I suppose I don't."

She turned away.

He approached her from behind and leaned down to her height, head over her shoulder, and he whispered to her neck: "What is it that you want me to do?"

A chill kissed her spine and her heart as well and she turned her head just slighty towards his. She saw his eyes, not looking at her, but off into the distance in a blank, weird stare. Another chill came. She looked around slowly, unsure. "Would you mind if I joined you?"

He stopped, paused. "No, Not at all."

She turned to him and smiled kindly. They both sat down beside one another. For a few minutes they sat in silence.

"I'm just really....torn now Ryuuzaki. I don't know what I need to do to shake how I'm feeling."

He sighed. "You need Hope."

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'Everyday for nearly 2 months the boys' Hope had returned to him faithfully, occompanying him in his desolation, which grew less real with every uttered word, or conversation between the two. Every afternoon, alone in that room. The room especially for him. The fifth floor of Wammy's House.  
One particular blurry white afternoon the pair sat side by side; his arms wrapped around his knees and her legs crossed cordially.

"Hope?"

"Yes L?"

"Do you ever miss your mother and father?" he questioned casually.

She sighed. "Dreadfully."

He stared at her. Her eyes squinting back tears, and her face flushing in the process of withheld emotion.

"If you cry...I wont' watch." he assured.

She laughed loudly, with a trail of sniffling following shortly after. She wiped her eyes. "Your so clueless."

"Am I really?" he asked.

"Quite." she laughed.

The laughter died away. And she sighed. She paused for a moment, then scooted closer to him and proceeded to lean her head onto his shoulder. His body stiffened then relaxed when she took hold of one of his cold hands with her warm one. He smelled like honey, she thought. And to him her hair smelled like vanilla.

"When they told me about my parents, there were these people there. Important men in suits, places to go, people to meet. That type. They were in a terrible fuss and my parents had went on a trip for business and left me with my grandmother here in Winchester. I was miserable. So when we got into their vehicle the men told me they were taking me to an orphanage. That my grandmother didn't want custody of me and told them to get rid of me..."

She sighed.

"So here I am. I thought she really loved me. I loved her. I think I still do. Anyways they told me that i'de come here, that I was special. But I didn't feel that way at all. Still don't."

"You are special." he said plainly. ".....to me."

She looked up at him with glittering, trusting eyes. She jumped up and embraced him. He slowly followed suit. As he just began to enjoy and feel comfortable with her body touching his, there were two quick knocks on the door then Quillish Wammy walked in abruptly. She let go of him immidiately.

"Ms. Misora. You have people here to see you."

She frowned still recovering from the embarrassment of Wammy walking in on the two of them. All fatigue vanished when the two visitors entered the room.

A man with dark hair, and a woman with beautiful dark eyes entered the room hand in hand.

Hope cried out and ran full speed toward the couple.  
They kneeled and embraced her, whispering words of love and displaying tears of impossible happiness on their faces.

L already knew what was happening.

"I thought you were..."

"We know dear. Oh my dearest daughter Naomi, i'll never leave you again!" the women wailed.

"Naomi..." L whispered to himself.

"We're here to take you with us dear...if thats what you want" her father uttered.

yelped. "yes of course I want to..."

She sighed and looked back at L, who was looking out the window. She looked at her parents and they nodded. She approached the boy.

"L. Their here to take me away. I...I...."

"Naomi."

"Yes. Thats my name. Hope is my middle name." she said quickly.

"Naomi. So hope, it comes AFTER Naomi."

"....thats right" she said slowly.

"I see. Well then? What are you waiting for. Leave."

She was grief stricken. And wordless.

She looked down then turned and walked to join the two adults. Wammy came and patted the boys shoulder, whispered condolences and left. The door shut.

Again he was a smudge on someones conscious.

Again he was alone, desolate.

He placed his hand on the foggy window.'

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The night had gotten away from them. He sat, knees up and she layed back on her elbows, head thrown back into the wind.

"It's late." she whispered.

He poked a rock with his toe. "Yes. Quite."

She sat up and scooted toward him, close. "This is nice."

He nodded. "Yes. For now it is."


End file.
